MEN
Five goals and a handful of penalties in the third period led to the men’s hockey team losing 7-2 to Acadia in their home opener on Friday.
The game was tied at 2 going into the final 20 minutes and Acadia was on the powerplay. They scored to make it 3-2 only a minute into the third, and then the goals kept coming.
The Tommies started with a high level of energy and scored the first goal less than halfway into the first. Approximately 700 fans were in attendance to cheer on the team.
St. Thomas and Acadia both played a physical game, but it soon turned chippy. Acadia took several penalties in the first period, while the Tommies spent most of the third in the box. Between both teams, players accumulated 71 penalty minutes.
The team tried to take advantage of Acadia’s penalties in the first period. However, their powerplay skills weren’t up to code. They managed to keep the play in the Axemen’s end but missed many scoring chances, and allowed a shorthanded goal at the end of the first period.
Goaltender Jonathan Groenheyde was ejected from the game after punching an official in the arm after the sixth goal was scored. Rookie goalie Alex St. Arnaud took over for the remaining 13 minutes and allowed one goal on seven shots.
WOMEN
The women’s hockey team dominated the UPEI Panthers 5-1 in their home opener on Saturday, walking away with their first win of the season.
The Lady Tommies easily overtook the Panthers in the first, outshooting them 17 to 3. UPEI picked up energy in the second and outshot STU 13 to 6, but the Lady Tommies made their shots count and went up 4-1 after 40 minutes.
Emily Francis started off the scoring halfway into the first and nabbed a powerplay goal in the second. She and Erin MacIsaac both had three-point games, while Stephanie Gates and Teah Anderson each had two points.
Captain Katie Brewster got the goal of the game when she got a shorthanded breakaway and shot a one-timer past UPEI’s goalie.
The team was short three defensemen for the first two games of the season and had forwards playing out of position. They had six defensemen against UPEI.
Head coach Peter Murphy is pleased with the game, but said there’s always room for improvement.
“I thought they played well today, there wasn’t a whole lot I can say that they didn’t do well, but there’s always something we can work on.”
He also credited goaltender Kristin Wolfe with being key to their victory.
“When she was called upon, she made some big saves.”
